Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 638,444. Patented Deo. 5, |8999..

F. M. COMSTUCK.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Jan. 30, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet l` (No Model.)

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No. 633,444.l Patented nec. 5, i899.

F. M. CMSTOCK.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATDR.

(Application filed Jan. 30, 1899.) l

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

THE Nowms PETERS co, Hom-mwa. wAsmNnToN. D. c.

Patented nec. 5, |899.

4 Sheets- Sham 3.

F. M. COM'STUCK.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Jan. 30, 1899.) (No Model.)

y Patented Dec. 5, |899. F. M. CMSTCK. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application led Jan. 30, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4A (No Model.)

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Wnesses Qin Nrmnn Strarns FRANCIS M. ooMsrooK,

Para

ACETYLENE-GAS GEN ERTOR.

SPECIFCATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 638,444, dated December 5, 1899. Application liled January 30, 1899. Serial No. 703,770. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. CoMsrooK, of Topeka, Shawnee county, Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Machines, of which the fol-` lowing is a specification.

My invent-ion relates to acetylene-gas machines; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of.

1o parts, as will behereinafter described and claimed, the object in this connection being Vto provide a machine of this character which is automatic, positive, and reliable in action, which cannot generate a volume of gas eX- ceeding the capacity of the gasometer, and

which is operated at a minimum cost.

Other incidental objects of the invention will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the subjoined claims,

zo and in order that the invention may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l represents afront view of an acetyiene-gas machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 represents a view of the same, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section. Fig. 3 is a top plan View. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the dotted line IV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on the 3o line V V of Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line VI VI of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the carbid-cups of the carbid-wheel. Fig. S is a cross-section of the same. Fig. 9 is a vertical section of one of the Water-valves. Fig. 10 is a section taken on the line X X of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a section taken on the dotted line Xl Xl of Fig. Fig. 12 is a front view. of certain parts of the machine, illustrating 4o them in the relative positions they occupy as the gas-bell assumes its lowest position. Fig. 13 is a front View of the Water-measure, showing the valves controlling the passage of Water to and from the samein section and in the same relative' positions as in the preceding ligure.

In said drawings, 1 designates a gas-tank provided at a suitable point with a horizontal partition 2, from which projects centrally upward to the top of the tank the tube 3, formed with an opening 4 at a suitable point.

5 designates a spiral-passaged casing above the partition 2, communicating atits inner end with the hole or opening 4. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) This spiral-passaged casing forms the cooling and drying chamber for the gas and 5.5 is consequentlysubmergedinthe watercham- Y ber, of which partition 2 is the bottom, said chamber communicating with the Water seal surrounding the tank through an opening 6 in the tank, said water ie il being formed by 6o 'j inclosing the tank in a shell 7, the upper end of which is reinforced by the flaring clampring 8. This tank and the inclosing shell are preferably seated in a clamp-ring 9, mounted upon a stand or support 10.

11 designates the gas-bell, having its open or lower end submerged, as usual, in the Water seal and provided at the center of its upperor closed end with the vertical bar 12, provided in one edge, near its upper end, with 7o a notch 13 and adjacent thereto with the rearwardly-projecting pin 14. The object of this notch and pin will hereinafter appear.

A skeleton framework forming a support for the operative parts hereinafter described 75 is constructed as follows:

l5 designates a pair of vertical parallel pipes which extend through the fiar-ing clampring 8 and the clamp-ring 9, and one of them is connected by an elbow 16 with a horizontal 8o pipe 17, said pipe. extending radially of and `below the bottom of the tank, Where it is connected by an elbow 18 with a vertical pipe 19, which projects above the upper edge of said tank and also extends through an opening in the bottom of the tube (See Fig. 2.) The upper end of said pipe 15 is connected by an elbow 2O or equivalent means to the house or service pipe. (Not shown.)

21 designates a Water-reservoir of elongated 9o form arranged between the pipes 15 and supported by means of brackets 22, which are clamped upon said pipes.

23 designates a water-measure vertically below the reservoir and connected thereto by a pipe 24, this pipe being controlled bya valve of peculiar construction hereinafter described, and 25 designates a waterseal pipe leading from the bottom of said water-measure, the passage of said pipe being controlled loo by a valve of the same construction as the valve between the reservoir and Water-measf.. IO

ure, but of greater capacitythat is, of such dimensions that the water may pass through it with greater rapidity than it can pass through the valved pipe 24, as said dischargepipe is open only a short time. As these valves are of the same construction, a description of one will suffice for both.

The valved pipe is formed with a cylindrical chamber 26, in which is seated a cylindrical valve 27, said valve being of the splitring type and provided with the opposite openings 28 and 29, through which the water enters and leaves the valve, respectively. The shaft 30 of the valve is journaled at one end, as at 3l, in the casing, and is provided with a forked arm 32, which projects into the adjacent ends of the openings 28 and 29. (See Fig. 10.) The shaft extends forward through the clamp-ring 33, securing the valve in place, and through the packing-box 34, secured to said ring, and clamped upon the shaft of the upper valve, which I shall hereinafter term the supply-valve, is the lever 35, provided with the pendent foot 36, and upon the shaft of the lower valve, hereinafter termed the discharge-valve, is the similar but shorter lever 37, provided with the upwardly-projecting foot 38. The water-measure 23 is provided with a vent-pipe 39, having a petcock 40, and is employed to insure the measure receiving a uniform charge of water each time the supply-valve is opened and to prevent the formation of a vacuum when the dischargevalve is opened, which obviously would prevent the quick discharge of the water from the measure. Furthermore, the sputtering of water at the top of said pipe indicates an excess of pressure in the gasometer.

4l designates an elongated rectangular frame mounted at its front end upon the vertical pipes 15 and secured at the proper point thereon by lneans of set-screws 42. (See Fig. 3.) This frame at its rear end forms a guide for the gas-bell bar l2 and is provided with a bracket 43, embracing the opposite side of said bar, and with a roller 44, engaging the unnotched edge of the bar, which is thus prevented in its reciprocatory action from moving forward, backward, or toward that side occupied by the antifriction guide-roller 44. Said frame is also provided with the laterallyprojecting arms 45, which form a journal for the tubular shaft 46, said shaft carrying the lever 47 at its rear end, having its free end bifurcated, by preference, and provided with a roller 48, said roller being adapted to engage the notchededge of said gas-bell bar and at certain times to enter the notch 13 and be elevated or depressed, accordingly as the gasbell is ascending or descending, this movement of said lever imparting a like movement to the crank-arm 49 upon the front end of said shaft, which crank-arm is pivotally connected by the link 50 with the free end of the inletvalve lever 35. Said lever 47 is also provided with a depending angle-arm 51 for imparting upward movement to the lever 52, secured upon the secondary shaft 53, journaled in the tubular shaft 46 andin the upper end of standard 54, bolted or otherwise secured, by preference, to the flanged clamp-ring S. Said shaft 53 at its front end is provided with a crankarm 55, pivotallgT connected by a link 56 with the free end of the discharge-valve lever 37, the connection with thelatter being a pin-andslot connection in order that the lever 55 shall move some distance before movement in the same direction is imparted to lever 37. The object of this arrangement hereinafter appears.

57 designates a stub-shaft having its outer end closed and externally threaded and its rear end branched and provided with openings through which the pipes l5 extend, setscrews 58 being employed to secure the stubshaftatthedesiredpointofadjustment. The water-seal pipe 25 (see Figs. l, 2, and 5) extends down below the stub-shaft and returning upward has its discharge end communieating with the stub-shaft, and above the plane of said point of communication a coupling 59 is screwed into the rear end of the stubshaft and connects the latter with the jointed pipe 60, which ext-ends down below the bottom ofthe tank and then vertically up through the same and communicates with the outer end of the spiral-passaged casing 5. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) The stub-shaft, near its front end, is provided with an opening 6l in its under side for a purpose which will presently appear, and journaled upon said shaft is the carbid-wheel, constructed as follows:

62 designates the hub, bea-ring at its rear end against the packing-ring 63, interposed between the hub and the shoulder of the structure and at its front end against the packingring 64, being provided with a circular flange 65, V-shaped in cross-section, encircling said ring. Aclamp-ring 66,screwed upon the stubshaft, is provided with a similar but opposing rib or iange 67, to the end that as said clampring is screwed home upon the shaft the packing-ring shall be pressed inward tightly upon the stub-shaft, and thereby insure an absolutely gas and wat-er tight joint. The clampring is locked in position by means of a locknut 68. The hub at its front end is diametrically enlarged, so as to form the annular shoulder' 69, and is provided internally with the radial partitions 70,which terminate short of the inner edge of said shoulder, in order that the spring-metal valve 7l shall be maintained cylindrical in form and shall be seated at its opposite edges against the wall 69 and the front end of the hub, and thereby effectually cutoff communication, except at pointsl hereinafter indicated, between the circular series of chambers 72 thus formed-and the segmental passage 73 between the valve and the stub-shaftand communicating with the latter at one end by way of the opening 6l. The valve 7l is bent inward at one end, so as to form an arm 74 at the advance side (with respect to the direction of rotation) of the IDO IIO

chamber 72, which happens to be vertically below the opening 61, said arm engaging a bifurcated lug 75, formed externally on the stub-shaft at the corresponding side of opening 61. This connection thereby formsa lock between the valve and the stationary shaft which prevents rotatable movement of the former as the Wheel is rotated. The opposite end of said valve terminates upon the partition at the opposite or rear side of the chamber, vertically below the opening 61, therefore leaving said chamber in free and unobstructed communication with said opening. (See Fig. 6.)

In advance (with respect to the direction of rotation) of the lock connection between the spring and the shaft the former is provided with one or more holes 76, communicating with a corresponding number of the chambers 72, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

77 designates a series of cylindrical generators correspondingin number to the chambers 72 and provided at their rear ends with cen' tral perforations 78, with which communicate the passages 79, said passages in turn connecting with the outer ends of the radial tubular spokes 80 of the wheel, said spokes being screwed, by preference, at theirinner ends into the threaded passages 8l of the hub enlargement and communicating with the chainbers 72, so that as said chambers successively assume positions below1 and register with the stub-shaft opening 61 communication is free and open between said stub-shaft and their respective generators, in order that water introduced into the stub-shaft may flow directly down into the generator and the gas rising therefrom may pass back into the stub-shaft and thence, by way of the coupling 59k and pipe 60, into the cooling and drying casing 5, from which it escapes into the gas-bell. The generators 77 at their front ends are provided with the collars 83, having at diametrically opposite points the ears or lugs 84 and 85, respectivel y, the ears 84 of the generator being vertically above the ears 85 vwhen said gen erator registers with, and is therefore vertically below, the opening 61 of the stubshaft. This arrangement is desirable, though not absolutely necessary. Said collars are also peripherally grooved, so as to provide a wall 83iL and an outwardly-projecting flange S3b forward of the ears or lugs, the periphery of said flange sloping rearward and outward toward said wall, and seated in this peripheral groove is the rubber gasket 86, which, being stretched to secure it in position, cannot therefore be accidentally dislodged. Said gaskets are adapted to be clamped tightly against the wall 83a by means of the flanged caps S7 of the generators, the flanges of said caps being beveled to correspond with the beveled dan ges of caps 82, and in order that they may be tightly pressed and secured thereon they are provided centrally with cavities 88 for engagement with lugs 90 of angle-arms 91, said angle-arms being pivoted, as at 92, between ears Set and provided with bifurcations 93 at their free ends, bolts 94, pivoted between the ears 85, being arranged for engagement with the said bifurcations and carrying thumbnuts 96 at their outer ends whereby said angle-levers may be caused lto bear with great pressure upon saidcaps. When access to 'a generator is desired, -it is only necessary to unscrew the nut 96 slightly, when the bolt 94 will swing down out of the way and permit the lever 91 to be pivotally elevated. The cap can then be easily removed from the generator, as the tendency of a rubber gasket will be to push it forward, though the gasket will retain its position.

97 designates cylindrical carbid-holders of foraminous construction and of size to practically fill the generators and provided at their front ends with hinged covers 9S, which permit carbid to be deposited in the holders or removed therefrom. It is never removed,

however, in practice until the vitality of the carbid has been exhausted, and then the residuum may be thrown out and a fresh charge of carbid placed therein. This charge will not lose its vitality in the generator, however long it may remain there, owing to the fact that the means for closing the generator effect an absolutely air-tight joint. Consequently air-slaking of the carbid cannot take place.

The hub, near its rear end, is formed with a ratchetwheel consisting, preferably, of two similar parallel sections 99 99, so as to constitute practically a single split wheel, with the section 9.9,by preference,secu red by bolts 100 to the rear end of the hub and snugly inclosing the gasket 63 as a further precaution against the escape of gas or water at this point. This ratchet-wheel is provided in its periphery with notches 101, corresponding in number to the generators, one of said notches being engaged when the wheel is at rest by the dog 102, pivoted to the cross-bar 103, preferaloly clamped to the pipes 15, said dog being weighted at its lower end, as at 101, in

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order to render its action more positive and reliable.

105 designates a trip-arm pivoted. at one end to the dog 102 and litting loosely between the members of the ratchet-wheel and resting on the hub thereof, with its foot 106 normally overlapping the notch 101 at the opposite side of the wheel.

107 designates a bar pivoted on the hub and externally embracing the ratchet-wheel and having that end at the same side of the wheel as the dog 102 weighted, as shown at 108. The dog 109 is pivotally mounted in the opposite end of said bar and carries an antifrictionroller 110, which is held reliably by the tendency of the weight 108 and the weight 111 at the upper end of dog 109 against the ratcheti wheel with a yielding pressure, so as to be ready to enter the first notch 101 with which it registers, and said dog 109 is pivotally connected by a link 112 with the outer end of the lever 49.

Supposing the several generators to be charged with the determined amount of carbid and the gasometer empty and therefore occupying its depressed position, (see Fig. 12,) it will be understood that in assuming such position the engagement of the notch 13 and roller 48 was followed by the depression of lever 47 and the consequent depression of the crank-arm 49 of rock-shaft 46 and that the iirst part of the movement of said crank-arm caused the pivoted bar 107 (see Fig. 1) to swing in the direction indicated by the arrow a, same iigure, until the roller 110 of dog 109 registered with the notch 101 below, which registration was instantly followed by an independent pivotal action of the dog 109, which resulted in forcing the dog 102 out of the notch 101 at the opposite side of the wheel through the instrumentality of the push-arm 105, thus leaving the carbid-wheel free to rotate under the continued depression of said crank-arm, this rotatable action being brought to a close at the instant the notch 13 and roller 48 cease to engage, momentum or accidental movement of the wheel being prevented by the automatic engagement of dog 102 with the natch following that with which it was formerly engaged. This rotatable action of the wheel to the extent of one step, equal to the distance between two notches, resulted in placinga generator vertically below the opening 61 of the stub-shaft. The depression of said crank-arm, furthermore, and at the same time through the instrumentality of the link 50 depressed the supplyvalve lever 35 from its open or elevated position to its closed or depressed position, thereby cutting off communication between the water-reservoir 21 and the water-measure 23. (See Fig. 13.) The descent of the gasometer, furthermore, through the agency of the pin 14 acting against the upper edge of the secondary lever 52, caused the depression of the crank-arm 55 of the secondary rock-shaft 53. This movement, however, does not begin until after the movement of the arm 47 is well in progress, because the pin 14 engages the secondary lever 52 after the engagement of the notch 13 and roller 48. Furthermore, the crank-arm of the secondary rock-shaft is depressed some distance before the dischargevalve lever 37 is affected owing to the pinand-slot connection between the latter and connecting-link 56. (See Fig. l.) The loss of time thus obtained is sufcient to effect the complete closing of the supply-valve before the discharge-valve is opened by the depression of its lever 37, when the water passing down through the water-seal pipe 25 enters the stub-shaft and iiows directly down into the said generator containing a charge of carbid. As this takes place gas is instantly formedand passes up into the stub-shaft and through the coupling 59 and pipe 60 to the spiral-passaged cooling and drying chamber and thence escapes into the gasometer and causes the gas-bell to rise. As the gas-bell rises the notch 13 and roller 48 rengage and cause the lever 47 to swing upward and through the instrumentality of the connections described commence to open the supply-valve in order to recharge the water-measure from the reservoir. In the early part of this movement the foot 36 of lever 35 swinging in the direction indicated by the arrow h, Fig. 1, kicks the foot 38 of the partlyopened lower valve, and thereby throws said foot in the same direction, this movement beinglimited only by the pin or lever 37 reaching the lower end of the slot oflink 56. The foot 36, therefore,by kicking the foot 38, as described, throws the discharge-valve to its wide-open position, and thus insures the rapid and complete discharge of the water from the measure to the generator. At about this instant the angle-arm 5l of the upwardly-moving lever 47 engages the under side of the secondary lever 52 and by relevating the same effects the closing of the discharge-valve just before the supply-valve is reopened, and the measure receives a fresh charge of water from the reservoir. The generation of gas continuing after the disengagement of the notch 13 and roller 14, the gas-bell continues to rise, the quantity of carbid and water employed producing a maximum volume of gas somewhat less than the capacity of the gasometer to eliminate the danger of an overproduction of gas. After the gas is consumed and the gas-bell again descends, the operations formerly described are repeated and a new generator is glaced in communication with the gasometer and with the water-measure, the wheel adjustment placing the previously-acting generator one step in advance and still in communication with the stub-shaft opening 61 via the rst hole 76 of the cylindrical valve 71, to the end that the agitation of the carbid residuum caused by this rotatable action shall result in the formation of what is known as dead-gas, which passes through said opening 76 and enters the gasometer with the gas arising from said new generator. When the gas-bell again descends, the wheel is again rotated, and from the imperfectlyslaked carbid in the two generators now registering with the holes 76 dead gas is formed, which passes to the gasometer. Thus it will be seen that a secondary formation of gas takes place after a generator has passed out of communication with the water-measure and that provision is made for a certain period aftersuch time for the passage of such gas into the gasometer. It will also be noticed that the construction of the generators and the method of holding the carbid therein guard against any possibility of the contents of the generators, exclusive of gas, reaching the central valve and thereby interfering with the proper operation of the machine.

From the above description it will be ap- IOO IIO

parent that I have produced an acetylenegas machine which embodies the features of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of invention and that various changes may be resorted to in its practical construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, and means whereby the opening movement of one valve shall cause the other to be more widely opened, substantially as described.

2. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, means whereby the opening movement ot' one valve shall canse the other to be more widely opened, and means for effecting the closure of the first-named valve before the other valve is opened, substantially as described.

3. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, awater-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, said Valve having feet adapted to move in intersecting paths, and means for opening one of said valves and causing its foot to kick the foot of the other valve and open it to its widest extent, substantially as described.

4. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, levers for operating said valves, a link pivotally connected to the lever of the valve controlling the passage between the reservoir and watermeasure, a link having a pin-and-slot connection for operating the lever of the companion valve, and means for operating said links and thereby said valvelevers, the said companion valve, however, failing to operate until the link having the slotted connection has traversed a distance approximating the length of said slot, substantially as described.

5. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, levers for operating said valves, a link pivotally connected to the lever of the valve controlling the passage between the reservoir and the water-measure, a link havinga pin-and-slot connection for operating the lever of the companion valve, means for operating said links and thereby said valve -leversg said companion valve, however, failing to operate until the link having the slotted connection has traversed a distance approximating the length4 of said slot, and means whereby, when the operation of the rst-named valve is reversed, the opening operation of the other valve shall be continued a distance approximating the length of said slot, substantially as described.

6. In-an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a valve controlling each connection, levers for operating said valves, a link pivotally connected to the lever of the valve controlling the passage between the reservoir and the water-measure, a link having a pin-and-slot connection for operating the lever of the companion valve, means for operating said links and thereby said levers; said companion valve, howe ver, failing to operate until the link having the slotted connection has traversed a distance approximating the length of said slot, means whereby, when the operation of the first-named valve is reversed, the opening operation of the other valve shall be continued a distance approximating the length of said slot, and means for reversing the operation of said valve and effecting its closure before the first-na med valve is opened, substantially as described.

7. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a water-reservoir, a water-measure c onnected to the reservoir and the generator, a supply-valve between the reservoir and the measure, a discharge-valve between the measure and the generator, levers for said valves, a crank-shaft connected to the supply-valve lever, a crank-shaft connected to the discharge-valve lever, a primary lever upon the iirst-named crank-shaft, provided with an arm, a secondary lever for the other crankshaft, means for depressing said lever, and means for relevating the primary lever, and, through the agency of its arm, the said secondary lever, substantially as described.

S. In an acetylene-gas machine, a generator, a Water-reservoir, a water-measure connected to the reservoir and the generator, a supply-valve between the reservoir and the measure, adischarge-val ve between the measure and the generator, levers for said valves, a crank-shaft connected to the supply-valve lever, a crank-shaft connected to ,the discharge-valve lever, a primary lever upon the first-named crank-shaft,'provided with an arm, a secondary lever for the other crankshaft, means for depressing said lever, a gasometer connected to the generator, a bar projecting from the gas-bell and provided with a notch to engage and raise and lower said primary lever, and with a pin to engage and depress the said secondary lever, substantially as described.

9. Arotary carbid-wheel, comprisinga hub, having a circular series of chambers, a cylindrical valve forming the inner wall of all of said chambers except one, the ends of said valve terminating at opposite sides of said chamber, and means to cause a relative rotation between the valve and the wheel,whereby the chambers of the latter shall successively register with the space between the ends of the valve, substantially as described.

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10. A rotary carbid -wheel, comprising a hub, having a circular series of chambers, a cylindrical valve forming the inner Wall of all ofsaid chambers except one, and provided with a perforation communicating with a passage in advance (with respect to the direction of rotation) of the passage registering with the space between the ends of the valve, and means for causing a relative change of position between the wheel and the valve,whereby the chambers of the former shall successively register with the space between the ends of the valve and with said hole, substantially as described.

Il. In an acetylene-gas machine, a gasometer, a Watersupply, a stub-shaft in communication with the gasometer and adapted to communicate with the water-supply, said stub-shaft being provided with an opening, a carbid-wheel journaled upon said stub-shaft and comprising a hub having a circular series of chambers, tubular spokes communicating with said chambers, generators containing carbid carried by and communicating with said spokes, and a valve forming the inner wall of all of said hub-chambers except that which is vertically below the stub-shaft opening and anchored to said stub shaft, and means to rotate said wheel and thereby cause the chambers to successively register with the stubshaft opening above, substantially as described.

12. In an acetylene-gas machine, a gasometer, a water-supply, a stub-shaft in communication with the gasomete'r and adapted to communicate with the water supply, said stub-shaft being provided with an opening, a carbid-wheel journaled upon said stub-shaft and comprising a hub having a circular series of chambers, tubular spokes communicating with said chambers, generators containing carbid carried by and communicating with said spokes, and a valve forming the inner wall of all of said hub-chambers except that which is vertically below the stub-shaft opening and anchored to said stub-shaft, and provided with a hole in communication with one of the chambers in advance (with respect to the direction of rotation) of that one which registers with the space between the ends of the valve, and means to rotate said wheel and thereby cause the chambers to successively register with the stub-shaft opening, substantially as described.

13. In an acetylene-gas machine, a shaft provided with a shoulder near one end and threaded at its opposite end, a carbid-Wheel journaled upon said shaft,provided at its front end with a 'Haring iange concentrically surrounding the shaft, a pair of packing-rings upon the shaft, one interposed between the rear end of the hub and the shoulder of said shaft, and the other within the flaring flange of the hub, a collar screwed upon said shaft and clamping the last-named packing-ring against the front end of the hub and provided with a rearwardly-projecting annular ange concentrieally surrounding the shaft and the last-named packing-ring, and a lock-nut also screwed upon said shaft and preventing back rotation of said collar, substantially as described.

14. In an acetylene-gas machine, a gasometer, a stub-shaft communicating therewith, a rotary carbid-wheel journaled upon said stub-shaft and provided with a split ratchetwheel, a dog engaging said ratchet-'wheel to prevent accidental rotation thereof, a pusharm carried by said dog and tting in the split of said ratchet-wheel and normally overlapping a notch thereof, a pivoted bar having one end normally yieldingly depressed, a dog pivoted to the opposite end of said bar and held yieldingly against the periphery of the ratchet wheel, and means for exerting a downward pressure upon said last-named dog and thereby pivotally operating said bar until said dog registers with the notch of said wheel overlapped by said push-arm, and then for pivotally operating said dog into said notch and thereby forcing the first-named dog out of engagement, and then for imparting rotatable movement to the wheel by continuing the operation of said pivoted bar, substantially as described.

15. In an acetylene-gas machine,.a rotary carbid-wheel, consisting of a hollow hub, hollow spokes communicating therewith, and hollow generators mounted at the outer ends of said spokes, and provided with openings in their rear ends, communicating with said spokes, caps closing the outer ends of said generators, angle-arms pivoted to the generators and bearing against said caps, and means for securing said angle-arms in this relation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS M. COMSTOCK.

Witnesses:

FRANK HERALD, H. W. PAGE.

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